Today I started on the F-704 bulkhead, this is where the wings join to the fuselage and it takes all the load from the wings. Yikes, I think I will take my time. First step was to drill the holes for the snap bushings. There are several locations where electrical wire must pass through the bulkhead (ten in fact.) The holes where there, but only about 3/16th and they needed to be 5/8s. So, I used my stepper bit and slowly drilled them to size. After clecoing F-704A to F-704C L & R and F-704B to F-704D L&R I attached the shear bars (F-704G) to the AFT bulkhead (F-704B.) The shear bars are about 1/2" thick and are pre-drilled for 1/4" bolts. I did not want to use the aircraft bolts for alignment (un-necessary wear) I inserted steel 1/4" bolts with washers and tighten nuts to hold the F-704G tightly in place. There are two keeper rivets for each bar that need to be drilled. Using the bolts for alignment and F-704C and D for rivet hole alignment I started drilling with my hand drill. After making a small starter hole in the shear bar I dis-assembled everything and took the shear bars over to me drill press (no pictures of this, sorry.) Making a starter hole by hand is one thing, but I wanted the hole to be straight for the rivet. Using my drill press and my drill press vise, drilling the rivet holes was a snap. Again everything went back together for a fit and finish check. No problems yet. The last thing I worked on was the control column mounts. They needed to be drilled to fit the F-704B aft bulkhead. I measured and drilled the first hole without any issues. The second hole has to be drilled to fit the bulkhead and the instructions suggest using the bulkhead for alignment. As these parts hold bearings for the control columns they need to be absolutely square. By this time the hanger had warmed up to about 98 degrees. My wife wanted to know when I was coming home for dinner and a cold beer was calling my name. So I surrendered. Tomorrow I will get after that alignment.
